A Basket of Fruit

I've been thinking a lot about fruit lately. Probably because it's fall, and I think I've eaten more apples this year than in the last 10 years combined. And since we talked about self-control in life group last night and it is a fruit of the Spirit, I thought I'd get some of these ideas out of my head.

From Galatians, we know that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. A few things happen when a tree/vine produces fruit:

• The fruit is evidence the tree is alive.
• When the tree has no fruit, no one can eat it.
• The fruit is not for the tree, but for the benefit of someone/something else. An apple on the tree doesn't do anyone any good, but once it is picked, it is good for the consumer.
• The tree has no knowledge of what happens to the fruit once it's removed. Even if the fruit falls on the ground, it nourishes the soil as it breaks down.
• The process of growing the fruit makes the tree stronger and helps it grow.
• The fruit becomes rotten if it remains on the tree too long.

I'm sure there are others, but I'm not a fruit-ologist.

So how do we relate to fruit trees?

• When we show the fruit, it's evidence that Jesus is alive in us!
• We can't give away what we don't have. Unlike trees (in this part of the world anyway), the fruit of the Spirit isn't seasonal!
• If we get all the love, joy, peace, etc from the Father, it's to benefit others. We are to share the fruit to nourish and strengthen each other!
• Sometimes, we love people, and don't receive anything back (like it just falls to the ground). But the purpose of receiving love (or any other fruit) is to give love - we can't control what anyone else does with it.
• Our love grows stronger the more we give it away.But love doesn't come easily. The process of learning to love is an amazing journey. If we don't continue to learn to love "better", our love becomes weak.
• If we keep the fruit of the Spirit locked up inside us, we can become complacent, stale, and rotten.

I have many things in drawers, closets, the basement and the garage that were gifts given to me that I will never use, but don't give or throw away because I'm afraid of hurting the giver's feelings. God is the one giver that doesn't want us to keep what he gives us to ourselves. We have been given the fruit of the Spirit as a gift - and the more we give away, the more we seem to have.

So go ahead - give away a whole basket full of fruit today. Don't worry - there's more where it came from. Besides, who wants rotten fruit in their closet?

Joyful Delight

It's amazing how something so simple can turn a day around completely. I was out one day last week and went to a drive thru to get something to drink. I was waiting to place my order when I noticed a butterfly flitting about in front of my car. I watched as it flew around and went over by the other drive thru lane.

As it was dancing around, I noticed this woman in the other lane. She was looking like I felt - kind of blah and not really feeling much of anything - just kind of existing in the moment. Then, she noticed the butterfly. It's hard to describe the expression on her face with any other word than delight.

It was like watching a child experience something wonderful for the first time - like a butterfly. Her eyes lit up. Her entire face changed. And she was grinning from ear to ear (though it's hard to see in this picture).

In that moment, I could sense God's delight for her. I don't know what her day was like. Maybe she was having a great day, maybe she just lost a friend. Who knows? But I do know this - despite her circumstances, God delighted in her as she delighted in His creation.

Can you image God's delight if she had jumped out of her car and started dancing with that butterfly (which you can't see in this picture - in case you've been searching for it)? Imagine His delight when we worship Him fully, with everything, like that butterfly. To dance around, delighted to be who we were created to be, without hesitation or fear.

God delights in us as we delight in Him. I'm not sure I understood what that meant until I saw a woman notice a butterfly.

Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song.
Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.
Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.
For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.
Psalm 149:1-4 NLT

Never Again...

Every once in a while, these negative thoughts creep in, so I've started keeping track of those thoughts, and taking them captive with the Truth. Kinda like this:

Never again will I call myself a failure because...

• God has started something in me, a good work, and promises to complete it. (Philippians 1:6)
• I can do all things through Christ's strength and power. (Philippians 4:13)
• I can do even greater things than He. (John 14:12)
• I am the head, not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13)

Never again will I be lonely because...

• God is with me (Isaiah 43:2)
• God is with me (Joshua 1:9)
• God is with me (Matthew 28:20)

Never again will I be defeated because...

• I have the Greater One living in me (1 John 4:4)
• I was created to do His work (Ephesians 2:10)
• I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37-39)

Never again will I feel unloved because...

• His love is everlasting (Psalm 103:7, Jeremiah 31:3)
• His love endures forever (Psalm 136)
• He loves me (John 15:13, 1 John 3:16, John 3:16)

Never again will I be in need because...

• I am complete in Him (Colossians 2:10)
• He will provide for my needs (2 Corinthians 9:10)

Never again will my past control me because...

• He has taken away the past and replaced it with something new, something better (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• Every day is a new beginning (Lamentations 3:22-23)

What about you - what thoughts do you need to say never again to?

Was It Enough?

It's a question I keep coming back to, especially when I think I'm having the worst day.

Were the nails and the spear in My side

Not quite enough to provide

The victory you need in your life? -Jill Pacquette, Come to Me

No matter what you are going through, whatever pain you are feeling, what mountain is in your way or who your adversaries are, you have victory if you have a life surrendered to Jesus. The victory may not look like you expect, it's really better than you can imagine.

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies. Psalm 60:12

What more could He have done? His sacrifice - I'd say it's more than enough.

Leftovers... Yuck!

I don't like leftovers. I don't know whether it's that I don't like to eat the same thing over and over, or that reheated food just doesn't taste like the fresh (there are a few exceptions to this rule and the leftovers are actually better - like chili), or that we used to have leftover meals where all the different types of leftovers came out of the fridge. Maybe it's all of those reasons.

I also don't like people leftovers. You know... the people who only call when there is absolutely nothing better to do and no one else to talk to. That may be an exaggeration, but sometimes it can feel that way. I think there is a balance. I don't expect to be put in first place in anyone's life. And I don't think it's wrong to give left overs from last night, if that's all there is. But sometimes, it would be nice to be invited to the party.

This happened to me recently, and it really made me take a look at the way I interact with the people I care about. Do I save the best parts of me for me and give others what's left over? Or do I spend the best of my time and energy on loving others?

Of course, we should be giving our best to God first, expecting nothing in return. Then, He replenishes our supply so we can give to others. I wish I could say I have this part down, but I don't...

I wonder how God feels about the leftovers I serve Him?